So another hardwater season has come and just about passed now (thank goodness for crappie bay!). A rather good one for me, not necessarily because of the number or quality of fish caught, but because of the things I learned. New patterns, lures, and presentations were all deciphered in the last few months.
The season started in Wendover with lots of these:
and these:
Then the shack went up
and we started getting some of these in the middle of the day
Cool, a new pattern.
Unfortunately, we barely got anything at what was on this spot in years past peak walleye time. Usually, when we did get a fish at dusk, it was on of these:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hPwGMRFhdw
However, when the Sander family did come visit us at night, they were usually nices ones, a few decent 14-16" walleyes were caught and the biggest Sander of them all, a SAUGER measuring 17"!!
With the Wendover derby approaching, our focus shifted to the big walleye waters of the Nation River (The Quinte of Ottawa!). Although we didn't make the money come tournament day, I set a new PB since moving to Rockland with this 3lber:
Two days later, I beat that PB with this 4lber:
Only to beat that PB 20 MINUTES LATER with a 5lber!
The 4 and 5 lbs fish were released, the 3lber had to be kept as it was badly hooked and went on belly up as soon as it went in the cooler for the trip to the weigh-in, fortunately, he was the biggest male walleye I'd ever seen!
Since the warm up, I've been having a blast fishing Petrie Island's Crappie Bay for the first time, what a blast!!
Enjoyed catching my first bluegills in the daytime last week:
And I've REALLY been enjoying the late afternoon/evening crappie bite!
Actually catching crappie on purpose is a blast! Especially when you get into a school of slabs!
Well I'll be hitting Petrie a few more times hopefully and then it's off to the Nation for some Cats, sheephead, perch, bullhead and redhorse. Can't wait for the walleye/pike opener in the new boat! Good times ahead!
tight lines everyone,
Yannick
hardwater recap
- Yannick Loranger
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hardwater recap
Last edited by Yannick Loranger on Mon Mar 08, 2010 6:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Looks like you had a great season. The pics are great. Thanks for the post.
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, fishing rod in one hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!."